


Episode 1: An Arsonist's Tale

by nirejseki



Series: Legends of Tomorrow Season 2 Rewrite [1]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: 17th Century France, Canon Rewrite, Franco-Prussian War, Gen, Legends Rewrite, New York City, Virtual Season/Series, World War II, legends of tomorrow season 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-04
Updated: 2017-09-04
Packaged: 2018-12-23 23:38:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12000333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nirejseki/pseuds/nirejseki
Summary: In 2016, a man named Nate Heywood bursts into Oliver Queen's office with a strange story - about a group of "Legends", time travelers, scattered through time, lost and in need of assistance. With the help of Oliver Queen and Kendra Saunders, a former Legend, they go out to find them - and instead they find Mick Rory with a very interesting story.(Episode 1 of a full 22-episode rewrite of season 2 - the same broad story arc, but rewritten episodes)





	1. Chapter 1

** Episode 1 - An Arsonist’s Tale **

_PREVIOUSLY ON LEGENDS OF TOMORROW: Rip Hunter recruiting the Legends, Mick Rory revealed as Kronos, Leonard Snart at the Oculus as it blows up, Kendra and Carter saying that they would be leaving, the end-of-season scene of the second Waverider crashing and Rex Tyler introducing himself and warning the Legends_

**SCENE: a woman’s bedroom, early morning, modern day**

An alarm rings. A hand reaches out of bed to hit the alarm, followed by the woman in the bed sitting up, yawning and stretching. It’s KENDRA SAUNDERS. She gets up and begins going about her morning routine in a quick montage (picking an outfit, brushing her hair, pouring a cup of coffee in a thermos). She then goes out to the balcony, focuses briefly, and her wings come out in a practiced motion. She then proceeds to jump up, wings beating, and begins to fly somewhere. She is relaxed and casual - this is her usual morning commute.

As she flies, the screen abruptly flickers sepia. 

“Oh, great,” Kendra sighs, clearly used to this. " _Another_ flashback." 

She lands on a nearby roof and closes her eyes to focus.

 

**SCENE: KENDRA FLASHBACK (sepia tone): Crusades, just outside a battlefield**

Kendra is a noblewoman dressed in medieval finery, sitting on a horse and watching a battle. Suddenly, a young black man (JEFFERSON JAX JACKSON) dressed in medieval clothing but wearing anachronistic modern-day sneakers runs up to her. 

“Kendra!" he shouts. "Oh, man, it is good to see you! We need your help!”

“Forgive me, my lord, but my name isn’t Kendra,” Kendra says, clearly surprised.

“It will be – and when it is, I really, _really_ need you to remember this: the Legends have gotten lost in time, and we need your help to find us.”

 

**SCENE: modern day, rooftop**

Kendra opens her eyes. “Oh, _great,_ ” she says, clearly exasperated.

* * *

****_INTRO SEQUENCE OF LEGENDS OF TOMORROW - narrated by Mick Rory_  
“Time travel is real, and ever since we blew up the Time Masters, all of history is open to attack. That’s why our team of outcasts and misfits has been travelling through time, so that we can keep anyone from damaging it. So don’t call us heroes, we’re legends."  


* * *

**SCENE: busy city sidewalk, modern day**

Kendra walks into a glass-sided corporate office building. 

“I need to see Oliver Queen,” she says to the receptionist. She smiles. “Tell him it’s Kendra – and that it’s urgent.”

 

**SCENE: elevator doors opening**

Kendra walks out into OLIVER QUEEN’s office. He is sitting behind a desk, looking annoyed, and there is a young-looking man (NATE HEYWOOD) in slightly oversized clothing pacing in front of him, waving his hands and in the middle of talking. He has a pencil stuck behind one ear.

“- you don’t understand, I _tried_ to get an appointment, but you’re the _mayor_ and I just – I need to talk to you about history – history which has been changed, somehow, irrevocably –”

“I gave you five minutes because you said you knew something about Ray Palmer and Sara Lance and something about some ‘Legends’,” Oliver says, leaning back in his chair, crossing his arms and glaring. “You said they were in trouble.”

“They are,” Kendra says. “Hi, Oliver.”

Oliver is pleased to see her. He stands, extending his arms; she steps forwards and hugs him briefly. “How’s the, uh, business going in St. Roch?” he asks.

“Good,” Kendra replies, smiling at him. “But this man – I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”

“Nate. Nate Heywood. I’m a historian. Nice to meet you.”

“Mr. Heywood –”

“Nate, please.”

“Well, Oliver, _Nate_ here is right. Something has happened to our friends. Do you remember how I told you about our adventures traveling in time?”

“Yes, I remember,” Oliver says, making a slightly pained face.

“We called ourselves the Legends,” Kendra explains. “And I’ve just had a vision of one of them in the past and he said that they've gotten lost in time.”

“They’re not just lost in time, they’re _ruining_ it!” Nate exclaims, throwing his hands up in the air. He is very excitable. He takes the pencil out from behind his ear and waves it around as he speaks. “Listen, you don't understand! I’m writing my thesis right now about World War II – it’s actually a very personal history, my grandfather was involved, it’s actually really interesting…”

Oliver clears his throat.

“…aaaand you don’t care about that at all, right. But anyway, it’s _changed_.”

“Your thesis?”

“No! History itself! I have my thesis, which is _almost done_ , and the next thing I know, I go to the library to double-check a citation and suddenly the history books have a totally different rendition of reality!”

“Get that pencil out of my face,” Oliver says.

“And it’s not just one book,” Nate says, ignoring Oliver. “It’s _all_ of them – it’s as if history _itself_ was changed!”

“That’s probably exactly what happened,” Kendra says. “Something big must have happened to scatter them in time.”

“Then why weren’t you affected?” Oliver asks Nate.

“I don’t know – but that’s not what’s important! What’s _important_ is that I have records of a UFO sighting in New York City, 1942, with multiple witnesses seeing a flying machine diving into the Atlantic! Actually, you can see similar sightings in hieroglyphs from the Upper Nile in the –”

“Focus, Nate,” Kendra says.

“Oh, right. Well, that sighting is contemporaneous with multiple reports of an underwater detonation of an atomic bomb - in _1942_!”

“So?” Kendra asks.

“That’s three years before the atomic bomb was supposedly invented,” Oliver says.

“But if the Waverider had a run in with an atomic bomb, they’d be dead,” Kendra says, sounding worried.

“But they’re not,” Nate says. He waves his pencil around, jabbing it excitedly at Kendra. “You yourself said you had a vision of them – how does that work, by the way? You’re not in most of the historical records I’ve found about the Legends, which means you’re not with them now, which makes sense since you’re here, not there, but in the meantime, I’ve seen images of these people throughout history, in 19th century New York, in the 1970s, in ancient Rome, in –”

Oliver grabs the pencil out of Nate's hand. “I told you to stop waving that in my face.”

“Sorry, man,” Nate says. “I just – I get excited. You know. History. Can I have that back? It’s my lucky pencil – it was my grandfather’s.”

Oliver sighs, exasperated, and hands it back. “Okay. Let's say these guys have gotten lost in time. What am I supposed to do about it now?”

“You’re the Green Arrow! You’ll think of something!” Nate exclaims.

Oliver glares at him.

“Aaaand that’s something else I shouldn’t know about?” Nate guesses.

Oliver nods pointedly.

“Well. Uh. Assuming that the UFO was in fact the Legends' ship, I have the coordinates for where the ship was sighted out of New York?” Nate says.

“And I,” Kendra says smugly, “have a copy of Ray’s Waverider beacon detector.”

 

**SCENE: underwater scene, submarine moving through the water**

“We’re closing in on your coordinates, Heywood. Kendra, how are we doing?” Oliver says.

“It’s definitely here somewhere,” Kendra replies. “A little further –”

“Look at these sonar readings,” Nate says. “Either it’s a really weird-looking rock, or –”

“It’s the Waverider.” Kendra confirms.

 

**SCENE: Waverider hallway and med bay, modern day**

They walk through the darkened ship, the lights flicking on as they go, and find MICK RORY in the medbay, asleep in a chair, a shimmering stasis field around him.

“The ship’s keeping him in stasis,” Kendra says, examining the readings on the nearby screen. She pushes a few buttons on that screen.

Mick wakes up, panicked, and immediately begins to struggle to get out of the chair.

Oliver darts forward and gently holds him down. “My name is Oliver Queen and my preference is to not break your arm," he says calmly. "So I want you to calm down and tell us what happened to your team.”

Mick looks up at him. “You wouldn't believe me even if I told you.”

“He might not,” Kendra says, stepping forward. When he sees her, Mick relaxes, the fight fading out of him as he sags back into the chair. “But I will.”

 

**SCENE: Waverider kitchen, modern day**

Mick is sitting at the table in the Waverider kitchen galley, surrounded by food and bottles of beer. He plays with the label on one of the bottles, looking depressed. Nate is sitting across from him, staring at him in fascination. 

“His partner, Leonard, died saving the world,” Kendra tells Oliver in a quiet murmur, both of them standing just outside the door to the kitchen, looking at Mick. “They were best friends for - years, I think. Longer. I don’t think he’s handling it well.”

Oliver looks pained. “I can imagine,” he says. He shakes his head, then walks into the kitchen, going up to Mick. “Tell us what happened. From the beginning. I promise we’ll believe you.”

Mick nods. “It’s a weird story,” he says. “It began when we agreed to go back onto the Waverider –”

 

**SCENE: dark field near Waverider, 2016**

_Scene from end of Season 1_ : just as the Legends (MICK RORY, JEFFERSON JAX JACKSON, SARA LANCE, RIP HUNTER, RAY PALMER, MARTIN STEIN) are about to walk onto the Waverider, there is the signs of a jump through time and a second Waverider, clearly damaged, crashes into the ground in front of them. Moments later, someone emerges. 

“You’re exactly where you said you’d be,” the man (REX TYLER) says. “Do not get on that ship. If you do, you’re all dead.”

“Says who?” Mick demands.

“Says you, Mr. Rory," Rex says. "You sent me.”

“Who are you?” Sara asks.

“My name is Rex Tyler and I’m a member of the Justice Society of America. And if you get on that ship and go back to 1942, you will all die.”

His image suddenly crackles as if he is a bad television transmission. He tries to say more, but both him and the ship vanish.

 

**SCENE: Waverider kitchen, modern day**

“Wait, so he told you not to go to 1942 and then just - vanished?” Kendra asks.

“That’s how it happened,” Mick says, taking another sip of his beer.

“So what happened next?” Oliver asks.

 

**SCENE: Waverider, 2016**

“Uh, is someone going to talk about what just happened?” Jax asks. “That guy just vanished!”

“It’s very simple,” Rip says, looking a little spooked but trying to sound confident. “I assure you, as a Time Master, this is – perhaps _slightly_ unusual, but certainly nothing too onerous to deal with –”

“He said we were all going to die and vanished before he could tell us more,” Sara says, crossing her arms and shooting Rip an incredulous look. “I want to know what happened to him.”

“Ah, well - it isn’t quite as straightforward as it seems…” Rip coughs, appearing somewhat uncomfortable.

“Rip, just tells us!” 

Rip sighs. “I believe that he was from a future timeline, but he averted that timeline by warning us, thereby disappearing.” He puffs up a little, feeling more confident now. “That is the danger of interfering in the timeline without _sufficient knowledge_ , such as my own. Need I remind you that I am the only one here who has been trained by the Time Masters and am qualified to make adjustments to history?”

“But what did he want to tell us?” Stein asks.

“I’m sorry, there’s simply no way to tell," Rip says regretfully. "That timeline is gone for good. Even the Time Masters were incapable of knowing what occurred in an averted timeline.”

“Well, then,” Sara says, “sucks for the Time Masters, because I _totally_ know a guy.”

 

**SCENE: STAR Labs, 2016**

Cisco Ramon pulls his hand off a piece of Waverider tech and removes his goggles. “Oooh yeah, you were _totally_ all dead in that timeline. Dead, dead, and _dead_. Mick basically like pulls an Independence Day move to get that Rex Tyler guy to go back to warn you. It’s nasty, dudes.”

 

**SCENE: Waverider, modern day**

“Wait, the part where he uploads the virus to the alien computer using a totally different operating system?” Nate asks.

“I think he’s referencing the part with the suicide move,” Oliver says, looking at Mick steadily. Mick averts his eyes. “What happened next?”

“We did what anyone would do,” Mick says, shrugging. “We looked up the Justice Society of America - call themselves the JSA for short. Even read this kid’s thesis–” He nods at Nate. “- on the subject. It’s one of the main authorities on the JSA in the future.”

“It _is_?” Nate exclaims, clearly surprised. Noticing everyone glancing at him, he coughs and quickly tries to cover. “I mean, of course it is. It’s very well-researched.”

“So what next?” Kendra asks.

“Well, at first Rip seemed worried about it, but then we went to pick something up…”

 

**SCENE: 1871, end of the Franco-Prussian War, Lichtenstein countryside**

“So what are we doing here?” Jax asks. He’s wearing a traditional peasant outfit, as are the others; only Rip is wearing a military uniform.

“My calculations tell me that this is where we need to go,” Rip says, looking pleased. “It’s a Time Master hiding spot – perfectly designed to capture, ah, shall we say, items that might cause time aberrations.”

“There are _items_ that cause time aberrations now?” Ray asks. “Not just people?”

“They’re very rare,” Rip says.

“Why here?” Sara asks. She kicks a rock over. “There’s nothing here but a road.”

“Uh, and an _army_ marching our way,” Jax points out, gesturing down the road, looking alarmed. 

“Well, yeah, and that.”

“This, m yfriends,” Rip says grandly, “is one of the best known recurring time aberrations in history. That’s why the Time Masters used it.”

“I thought the Time Masters were supposed to stop aberrations, not use them,” Sara says.

“This is a _recurring_ aberration,” Rip says. “I don’t expect you to understand everything, but – rather famously – in support of the Franco-Prussian war, Lichtenstein sent an army of 80 soldiers to assist. They returned on this day with _81_ soldiers.”

“So who’s the extra person?” Sara asks.

“That is the key,” Rip says. “No one has ever been able to identify the individual, because there is no single individual. That individual is whichever time traveler steps into those shoes at the right moment – a stable time aberration. A rock in the time-stream, so to speak.”

“Why are we here, if it’s stable?” Jax asks.

“If I’m correct, when the explosion of the Oculus shattered the Vanishing Point, any number of useful items would have been scattered throughout history – and my calculations inform me that one of them will be here.”

“So what you’re saying is that we’re here to pick up some of your stash?” Mick asks, looking away from the others, who look at him sympathetically.

“ _I’m_ here to pick up a contingency plan to ensure that the history Mr. Ramon saw does not come to pass,” Rip says.

“A plan, huh? What is it that you’re going to get?” Sara asks.

“That much,” Rip says, “you don’t need to know. Indeed, it’s better if you don’t. Now, if you will excuse me –”

 

**SCENE: Waverider modern day**

“He went and came back, but wouldn’t tell us what he got,” Mick says. “But he was a lot calmer after that point and said that we would just decide not to go to 1942 and that’d solve the problem for us.”

“Obviously, that didn’t work,” Oliver says.

“No. But we kept on doing what we were doing – taking over from where the Time Masters left off when they were blown up. Chasing down time criminals and fixing the parts of history they screwed up – we called them aberrations. For six months we didn’t have any problems – well. The occasional problem.”

 

**SCENE: French chateau, exterior - 1637**

The Legends are there, dressed in period-appropriate outfits - doublets, hose, swords, and all. 

_MICK NARRATION: I knew we were in trouble when Rip made us put on blouses to save the King of France._

“I look like an idiot,” Mick says.

“I think it’s marvelous – the era of the Musketeers! The evil Cardinal Richelieu! Action, adventure!” Ray says. He is clearly excited. He has taken out his sword and is pretending to fence with the air.

“You would,” Mick says.

“Concentrate, please,” Rip says. “King Louis XIII is about to be assassinated at any moment before he impregnates his wife.”

“I have eyes on the king,” Jax reports, looking down from the roof.

“Don’t let him out of your sight.”

“But if he’s supposed to be, uh, impregnating…”

“You must pay attention, Mr. Jackson," Rip lectures. "If the king dies now, there will be no Sun King, no Golden Age of France!”

“No War of Spanish Succession,” Stein, who is dressed as a courtier, says thoughtfully. “Or the abolishment of the Edict of Nantes and the destruction of the Huguenots…no divine right of kings, or at least to such an extent…hm. You know, that might not be so bad.”

“Now is not the time to be debating this,” Rip snaps. “We must preserve the timeline!”

 

**SCENE: Sara standing in the Queen’s bedchamber, helping the Queen put on a necklace**

“Your necklace is beautiful, your Grace,” Sara, dressed as lady of the Queen’s court, says.

“As is yours. Who gave it to you?” the Queen, an attractive woman in her mid-thirties, replies.

Sara touches her necklace, surprised by the question. “My sister.”

“She is dead, then?” the Queen asks, understandingly. “I was the eldest of my siblings, and far too many of them have died. I have not seen them since I came to France when I was eleven.”

“You married when you were eleven?” Sara asks.

“Oh, no,” the Queen laughs. “I was married by proxy when I was fourteen.”

“Fourteen..?”

“It is uncommon for marriages to be consummated so young,” the Queen says. “We were encouraged to, in order to avoid annulment, but Louis was more focused on seizing power. We first consummated the marriage when I was eighteen.” She sighs. “But that was eighteen years ago, and still no heir has been born. At least he is here today, and the weather reports that there will be a storm tonight, so he will remain. We may try once more.”

“Of course,” Sara agrees.

“You know, I have heard conception is easier to achieve,” the Queen says thoughtfully. She puts her hand on her shoulder, covering Sara's. “If one is – warmed up.”

Sara blinks, then shrugs. “Well. You know. If it’ll help.”

 

**SCENE: French chateau, exterior**

“I believe I’ve identified the assassins,” Rip says, pointing out a group of soldiers.

The soldiers notice and begin to fire laser guns at the Legends.

“That _would_ explain the aberration.”

The Legends begin to fight the soldiers: Ray is using his suit gauntlets to fire back at the others, then shrinks to avoid being shot in return (he was wearing his suit under his clothing, so his clothing all falls around him in a heap); Stein ducking behind armor, Rip trying to charge at them, Mick struggling to get his sword out of his belt. 

“Where’s Sara?” Mick shouts.

 

**SCENE: Queen's bedchamber**

Sara is rolling around in bed with the Queen, both of them laughing.

 

**SCENE: French chateau, exterior - Jax on the roof**

“Grey, meet me on the north side of the house!” he shouts.

“What’s your plan?” Stein asks, rushing over.

“You’ll see!”

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding! That is a terrible idea!” Stein shouts as Jax dives off the roof, aiming for him. They merge.

“Now, let’s do this,” Jax, now Firestorm, says with pleasure, flying off in a burst of flame.

 

**SCENE: Waverider corridor, 1637**

The Legends walk aboard the Waverider, excluding Sara. Rip is stomping forward in the lead, looking angry.

“What did we say about using powers and future tech, Dr. Palmer?” Rip snaps, turning to face the other Legends.

“They started it," Ray protests.

"And the rest of you!"

“Don’t look at me,” Mick says. “I left my gun on the ship like a good little Boy Scout.”

Sara hurries onto the Waverider later than the rest of the Legends, her clothing disheveled. “The Queen is fine,” she reports. “She welcomed the king into the castle a few minutes ago.”

“Yeah, and I bet she’s all warmed up for him,” Jax, still in Firestorm mode, laughs.

“Shut your mouth,” Sara says.

“Am I wrong?”

Sara grins. “Well, Rip is always saying we should be willing to make sacrifices to ensure the timeline goes as planned…”

“A successful mission, Captain?” Gideon asks.

“Hardly!” Rip shouts. “You have all very nearly destroyed the history you were supposed to be protecting.”

Jax splits apart with Stein. “Oh, I knew I forgot something –” Jax says.

“- the part where Rip tells us everything we did wrong,” Sara finishes.

“You seduced the Queen of France just before she's supposed to conceive the country's greatest hope for the future!”

“She seduced me!” Sara says.

“Also, I would hardly call Louis XIV the greatest hope for the future of France,” Stein says. “Wouldn’t that be the French Revolution?”

“It doesn’t matter!” Ray says, bouncing on his heels. “We got to be musketeers! Heroes! Legends! Just like we’re supposed to be!”

“We’re _supposed_ to be preserving history, Dr. Palmer. And you, Mr. Jackson, violated our policy of not using super powers in front of people!”

“They had laser guns and were shooting at us,” Jax protests.

“Captain Hunter has a point, Jefferson,” Stein says. “You acted impulsively.”

Jax shrugs, looking put out.

“At least I didn’t screw up this time,” Mick says. He appears tired and depressed.

Rip clears his throat and grabs a gold chain Mick has stolen.

“Stealing’s not screwing up," Mick defends himself. 

“Perhaps for an individual of your mental capacity –” Rip starts, looking aggravated beyond his limits.

“We won,” Sara interrupts. “We stopped the aberration. So we didn’t do it the best way; who cares?”

“Replacing the Time Masters is an enormous responsibility, Sara, and one which I fear our team is ill equipped...”

The entire ship suddenly shakes.

“What was that?” Sara says.

“Gideon, are we under attack?”

“Negative, that was a shock wave generated by a time quake,” Gideon reports.

“A what?” Ray asks.

“A disturbance in the temporal zone caused by an unusually large aberration. Gideon, where was it?”

“The shock wave's point of origin was New York City, 1942,” Gideon reports. “Someone has just detonated an atomic bomb.”

 

**SCENE: Waverider kitchen, modern day**

“No way,” Nate says. “That was the aberration from 1942? I _knew_ it!”

“That’s right,” Mick says. “Stinking Nazis. I hate Nazis.”

“But how did Nazis even get there?” Kendra asks.

 

**SCENE: Waverider bridge, 1637**

“Wow,” Ray says. “Someone just blew up New York with a bomb that doesn’t get invented for another few years.”

“Nazis,” Mick grumbles.

“Aided by a time-travelling ally, no doubt,” Rip says.

“Gives new meaning to the phrase ‘Manhattan Project’,” Jax mutters.

“Does that mean the Allied forces lost the war?” Stein asks. He looks alarmed.

“It takes time for such a cataclysmic aberration to ripple through time,” Rip says. “We have time – assuming we go fix it.”

“What do you mean, _assuming_?” Mick asks.

“Isn't traveling to that particular time precisely what Rex Tyler told us not to do?”

“That’s correct,” Stein says. “But what does it matter? We cannot permit New York to be blown up and the Allies to lose.”

“We are history’s last line of defense,” Rip says, frowning in thought. “If we die, we leave the timeline unguarded.”

“If we leave New York to be blown up, we’re not a really good line of defense, are we?” Sara says.

“Not to mention the cost in the lives of millions if the Holocaust is extended even by a few years,” Stein snaps. He is very angry. “Let me remind you, Captain Hunter, that I myself am Jewish, with parents that immigrated to America from Europe shortly after the end of the Second World War?”

“Other people, too,” Mick mutters. He glances down at his chest, where there’s a ring on a chain; he reaches up and touches it for a moment.

“Moreover, if we are in fact going back to 1942, I don’t see why we shouldn’t take some action to help _stem_ the horrors of the Holocaust –” Stein begins.

“Professor Stein, as I have said repeatedly, we are meant to protect the timeline, not deface it ourselves!” Rip snaps. “The fact that it is an event that has personal significance to you is immaterial.”

He glances at Sara, who’s pointedly not looking at him.

“Still, if we’re protecting the timeline, that means we have to go,” Ray says. “Even if it might mean our deaths. That’s what being a hero – being a _Legend_ – means.”

“Besides,” Mick grunts, aiming for a lighter tone, “I’d rather die than speak German.”

Stein glares at him, still smarting from Rip’s put-down. “Thank you, as ever, for your erudite addition, Mr. Rory. I understand that Captain Hunter, Dr. Palmer and myself are the only educated individuals on this ship, but must you constantly display it?”

Mick looks down, not responding.

“Unnecessarily harsh, Grey,” Jax says, frowning.

“Relax, Captain,” Sara says to Rip. “We’ve got this.”

 

**SCENE: Waverider library, 1637**

Sara walks into the library. “Gideon, I need you to pull up what you have on the target in 1942.”

"I assume that by 'target' you mean Damien Darhk," Gideon replies.

Sara smiles. "Yeah, Gideon. Looks like you're finally getting the hang of this whole revenge thing. What've you got for me?"

"As it happens," Gideon says, putting images up on the main display in the library. "Mr. Darhk was in New York at the time."

The door to the library slides open.

“Gideon, wipe screen,” Sara says quickly, then turns to look at whoever is coming inside.

Ray comes in. “Hope I’m not interrupting,” he says, clearly noticing Sara's defensive posture.

“No,” Sara replies. “Just reading up on 1942.”

“You know, you’ve been spending a lot of time here alone.”

“Am I not allowed in the library?”

“I just wanted to check up on you. I know a few things about grief, so if you ever want to talk about Laurel…”

“Then I know where to find you,” Sara replies shortly. She is clearly uninterested.

Rip walks into the library as well. “Any luck pinpointing the epicenter of the temporal aberration?” he asks.

“The bomb was detonated in the center of New York City,” Gideon reports, showing news reports. She puts up newspaper reports on the library display screen, including one that announces 'Victory in Europe'.

“Oh, good! Looks like even after we get nuked, we still win the war,” Ray says cheerfully, seeing it.

“After it claims 12 million more lives,” Stein says. “Not counting the casualties from the bombing of New York alone.”

“Oh. Right,” Ray says, a little embarrassed. “But - if it was a nuke, where did they hide it? Anywhere in the city, an atomic bomb of that era would be pinging Geiger counters like crazy.”

“They didn’t have Geiger counters back then,” Sara says, brightening. “But we do. It shouldn’t be that hard to narrow down where it is.”

“Gideon, plot a course to New York City, 1942,” Rip orders.

 

**SCENE: Waverider in transit, flying through the timeline, then zooming in to the Waverider corridor, where Rip, Jax, and Stein are walking**

“I can't believe you're making me stay on the ship, Grey” Jax says, clearly upset.

“I'm _asking_ you to stay on the ship, Mr. Jackson,” Rip says.

“It’s for the best, Jefferson,” Stein says.

“The rest of you get to have all the fun battling Nazis! Nobody ever trusts me to do anything,” Jax complains.

“On the contrary, you’re the only one that I trust to repair the ship enough to be able to monitor the team’s actions from here,” Rip says. “And to bring the ship into action if necessary.”

“Yeah, right,” Jax says, clearly disbelieving.

“Very well, if you don’t want to do it, I will ask Mr. Rory if _he_ wants to be the ship’s mechanic.”

Jax clutches at his tools. “Not funny, man. You _know_ Mick’s still messed up about any stuff having to do with the ship since his time as Kronos.”

“If Mr. Rory were willing to _use_ any of his experience as Kronos to assist us, perhaps I would be more impressed,” Rip replies, aggravated by what is clearly a long-running argument. “As it is, he has barely participated in our mission these last few months.”

Jax looks like he’s about to object.

“Regardless, I need you to fix the monitoring system and the thrusters, as well,” Rip continues, ignoring him. “In the event that we can't stop this nuclear explosion, we are going to need a _very_ quick exit route.”

 

**SCENE: Manhattan, 1942**

Everyone is in period-appropriate outfits, including military outfits for Rip, Ray and Mick.

“We each have our Geiger counters, right?” Sara says. “Since they seem to have split up the uranium for the bomb, we have three possible locations – Mick and Ray can take the Midtown East docks, Stein and Rip can take Lower East Side dockyards, and I’ll take the docks downtown.”

“Excellent suggestion, Miss Lance,” Rip says. “Let’s split up – and report back as quickly as possible.”

They begin to go their separate ways, but Ray looks back at Sara.

“Mick, you can handle the ‘40s, right?” he says. “I’m going to follow Sara, in case she needs back-up.”

Mick grunts. “Yeah, yeah. Future site of the U.N. I’m on it.”

Ray follows Sara. Mick goes his own way.

 

**SCENE: Manhattan dockyards, 1942**

Sara is sneaking up to a warehouse. Inside, there is DAMIEN DARHK, looking around, smugly pleased. At his feet he has a lead box. 

Sara smiles grimly when she sees him. "Got you," she whispers.

“What are you doing?” Ray demands from right behind her.

“Ray!" Sara exclaims, jumping and turning to look at him. "Aren’t you supposed to be with Mick?”

“Darhk is clearly the one supplying the Nazis with the uranium, though I don't see any bomb for them to put it in,” Ray says, ignoring her question. “Why didn’t you call it in to the rest of the group?” He looks at her. "Unless you wanted a chance at him before any of us could interfere."

“Damien Darhk murdered my sister in 2016,” Sara says hotly. “If I take him out here in 1942 –”

“You save her,” Ray says. “But you’re risking all of New York – and 12 million more lives – to do it.”

“I’ve been waiting six months to get this son of a bitch,” Sara snaps.

“And you’ll have to wait longer,” Ray replies, equally passionate. “We have to get out of here before he sees us. We _have_ to let him go or we won’t be able to find the rest of the bomb. New York City itself is hanging in the balance.”

Sara looks torn.

“Your sister wouldn’t want this,” Ray says. “This isn’t what a hero would do.”

Sara sighs. “Sometimes I really hate you.”

“Who’s there?” a guard shouts.

“Run!” Ray says.

 

**The camera zooms in to Damien Darhk instead of following the fleeing Legends.**

“What was that?” Darhk asks when the guard returns.

“Looked like a pair of kids,” the guard reports. “They ran off once we spotted them. Probably looking for a place to neck.”

Darhk rolls his eyes. “Of course they were. Now, if only my contact would arrive, then we will be able to -”

There is a burst of lightning and there is EOBARD THAWNE. He appears shaken and upset.

“You’re very nearly late, Thawne,” Darhk tells him, sneering. “And here I thought you speedsters were never late.”

“Yeah, well,” Eobard replies, his eyes darting from side to side. “We always arrive exactly when we mean to.”

“And when you mean to arrive is, apparently, late,” Darhk says. “That’s hardly the basis for allying on this little – mission of yours.”

“Mission of _yours_ , you mean,” Eobard shoots back. “I’m just providing the uranium - and putting it together for you, if you recall, since I'm the only one who knows _how_.”

“Something you've been unable to do, running off all the time the way you have been. Perhaps if you’ll explain why that is, we might be able to make some progress,” Darhk replies, smiling in an unfriendly manner as the guards behind him point guns at Eobard.

“We don’t have time for this!”

“I just don’t see how we can negotiate until we get to know each other a little better," Darhk drawls. 

Eobard looks annoyed, but Darhk doesn’t move.

“Oh, fine,” Eobard says in annoyance. “You know I’m a speedster; I’m also fast enough to travel in time.”

“Fascinating,” Darhk says, clearly uninterested.

“Yes, well, I’m currently outrunning my own non-existence!”

Darhk finally looks interested. “How does that work?”

Eobard snorts. “Some stupid ancestor of mine got himself killed. Don’t know who or when, but it’s caused the Black Flash to come after me.”

“The Black Flash?”

Eobard sneers. “Of course _you_ wouldn’t have heard of him. He’s the guardian of the timeline, him and his time wraiths; they find speedsters that mess with the timeline and they rip them apart – immortal, resistant to virtually all attempts to stop them, and once they’ve got your scent, they’ll never stop following you.”

“Sounds like my kind of guy,” Darhk says, amused. “So what you’re saying is that you need to keep running to make sure you don’t die. Fair enough; I can respect that. But tell me this - why make this deal with me?”

Eobard grins. “I think that we can work out something mutually beneficial. You want to use this move to gain power – I want to make such a large change to the timeline that my ancestor won’t die. The larger the timeline adjustment, the more likely the particular circumstances that caused that moron to die will never happen.”

Darhk nods, satisfied now that he knows Eobard's motivations. “I must admit, I don’t really care about your problems in the future,” he says. “I'll help you with this project by getting you the bomb you need to make the blast big enough and you help me get what I want: profit, and chaos that I can exploit.”

“The bomb is almost ready,” Eobard says. “It’ll be there. Don’t worry. I always keep my side of the deal.”

He glances anxiously from side to side, then disappears in a flash of red light. There’s a flash of blue lightning that seems to follow him across the screen.

 

**SCENE: Manhattan, East Side, 1942**

Mick is walking through the streets, scowling at his Geiger counter. He bumps into someone.

“Sorry, soldier,” the man says, turning around – it’s REX TYLER.

“Hey, you,” Mick says, grabbing his arm. “You Rex Tyler?”

Rex seems surprised to be recognized. “Yes, I am. Who are you?”

“My name’s Mick Rory,” Mick says. “You really need to give us a better warning this time around.”

“Warning? What are you talking about?”

Mick grunts in annoyance, clearly impatient with Rex's confusion. “I’m with a group of time travelers,” he says. “We’re trying to stop the bombing of New York.”

Rex’s eyes narrow. “You know about the bomb?” he demands. “How? We just discovered - that’s top secret information!”

“I just told you, we’re time travelers from the future," Mick says, still impatient. "If it looks like the bomb’s going to go off, you need to go to our ship, the Waverider, parked on the roof of the big warehouse in the Lower East Side, and you’re going to need to take it back to May 2016 and warn us not to do it. But _better_ this time! None of this vague ‘if you go back to 1942 you die’ bull.”

“That’s absurd –” Rex begins.

“And why’s there uranium around here anyway, if you JSA assholes are already here?” Mick demands.

“It’s our headquarters,” Rex replies, shocked. “We’ve been experimenting –”

“I’d quit with that,” Mick suggests. “That crap’s dangerous.”

Mick’s communication device makes a beeping noise. “ _We’ve located the bomb_ ,” Rip’s voice says over the comms. “ _The shell of the bomb is at the Lower East Side. Everyone come at once_.”

“I gotta go,” Mick says.

“You need to answer some questions,” Rex says, grabbing for Mick.

“Don’t touch me,” Mick says, flinching and pulling away.

“I must insist,” Rex says, continuing to grab at Mick.

“I said, don’t touch me!” Mick roars, turning and punching Rex. Rex falls backwards.

Mick storms off into the crowd, leaving a confused Rex Tyler to be surrounded by others asking if he’s alright.

 

**SCENE: Manhattan Lower East Side, dockyard, 1942**

Everyone arrives other than Jax, who is back on the ship. 

“The shell is here,” Rip is saying. “But there’s not enough uranium for a blast of the magnitude we were expecting.”

“That’s because Damien Darhk is bringing it up now,” Ray says.

“Damien Darhk?” Stein asks. “As in –”

“The man who murdered Miss Lance’s sister,” Rip says. “How is he even alive in this period?”

“Thanks to the Lazarus Pit, he hardly ages,” Sara says.

“Sara's kind of an expert on Damien Darhk,” Ray says snippily.

“Drop it, Ray,” she snaps.

“I’m sorry, but you ditched the mission to save millions of people to go off on your own secret side mission to kill Laurel's killer in the past.”

“And I suppose you never thought about saving your fiancée?” Sara snaps.

“Yeah, of course I thought about it, but I never _did_ it, because it's against the rules.”

“What rules? We're not Time Masters, there are no rules!” Sara insists.

“Well, if there were, there'd certainly be one about lying to your own team,” Ray shoots back.

“Now isn’t the time for this!” Rip exclaims.

“It’s the _perfect_ time! Honestly, Ray, where do you get off judging me? You think that you're such a big hero, but without that fancy suit you're nothing but a self-righteous rich guy.”

“ _Enough_!” Stein yells.

They all look at him, surprised by the vehemence in his voice.

“There are literally millions of lives at stake,” Stein says sternly. “You can debate the ethics of your actions later. Right now we need to stop that bomb!” He puts his hand to his ear. “Jefferson, bring the Waverider and park it by the docks.”

“ _Are you sure?_ ” Jax asks. “ _Wouldn’t it be better if I came in from above?_ ”

“Now is not the time to be questioning my decisions, Jefferson," Stein snaps. "Come now.”

“ _All right, all right…_ ”

“There they are!” Ray shouts, pointing to a group of suspicious looking individuals, including Darhk, with a large container that clearly holds the bomb, heading towards a surfacing submarine.

Jax lands the Waverider and comes out.

“They must have put the uranium in while we were arguing," Ray says, glaring at Sara.

"Professor Stein is correct; it doesn't matter now. We can’t let them get that bomb on board,” Rip says. “This is no time for subtlety. Do whatever you must.”

Jax and Stein merge into Firestorm and the Legends attack the Nazis.

Mick charges forward, using his heat gun, saying “I love roasting Nazis!”

Sara attacks the guards next to Darkh.

“Interesting technique. League of Assassins, am I right?” Darhk says in a friendly manner.

“I've been waiting a long time for this,” Sara growls at him, having incapacitated the guards.

“Long time? For what?”

“To kill you.”

Darhk does not look impressed. “To try, you mean.”

Sara charges at Darhk and they fight.

“Guys, the radiation is screwing with my suit!” Ray says, growing back to normal size just as one of the soldiers takes aim at him with their pistol.

“Haircut! Watch out!” Mick shouts, pushing him out of the way, only to get hit in the shoulder with a bullet and stagger back.

“Retreat!” Rip shouts.

Sara snarls with rage as she runs from a laughing Darhk.

They run back to the Waverider. Sara is helping Mick, who is clearly in pain.

“The Nazis still have the nuke,” Ray says. “They’re going to hit New York from underwater.”

“I am tracking the U-Boat’s position now, Dr. Palmer,” Gideon reports.

“Mr. Jackson,” Rip says. “I need you to take the pilot’s seat.”

“What, now?” Jax asks, disbelievingly. “I can’t fly! I just fix stuff!”

“I’m not asking you to fly through the timeline,” Rip says. “I know that is beyond your current capabilities. Just use Gideon to follow the U-Boat.”

“But –”

“I know that you consider the chores that I've been assigning you to be a waste of time, Jefferson, but believe me, they are more than just an exercise.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jax says. “I’m not stupid. You want me to learn about the Waverider in case you get incapacitated or aren’t around anymore, but nice try. You’re not quitting on us, Mr. I’m the Only One Here Who Was Properly Trained By The Time Masters.”

“Well, as it just so happens, I _am_ ,” Rip says. “But I assure you, I will be here whenever possible.”

“Fine,” Jax says, stepping forward. “But it’s gonna be a bumpy ride. What are you going to do?”

“Something of a last ditch option,” Rip says. “You might call it a contingency plan.”

 

**SCENE: the Waverider diving underwater**

“I’m tracking the U-boat,” Gideon reports. “They’ve fired a torpedo at us,”

“Dodge!” Jax shouts.

“Attempting to navigate now, Mr. Jackson.”

The ship shakes.

“They’ve knocked out our telemetry, Captain,” Gideon reports.

“What’s going on?” Sara asks.

“As you can see,” Rip says, returning to the room with his hand in his pocket, holding onto something, “the Waverider is ill-suited for underwater combat.”

“I can try to bypass the tertiary subsystem array,” Ray says.

“Make it fast, Haircut,” Mick says. He staggers, clutching his shoulder.

Sara helps strap him into one of the chairs. “He’s going to need medical attention, and soon!” she says, looking at him with concern. 

“They’ve fired!” Stein shouts.

“It’s not aimed at us,” Rip says, studying Gideon's read-outs. 

“That means it’s the nuclear bomb,” Ray says.

“We have to stop it,” Jax says, then glances up at Rip. “You get what you wanted?”

“I did,” Rip says. “Excellent work keeping up with the submarine. I’ll resume control now – please strap yourself in with the others.”

Jax shrugs and does so.

Rip programs something into the main computer and then pulls a thin jagged stick out of his pocket.

It begins to glow.

“What’s going on?” Sara demands, strapped into her seat, as are the rest of the Legends. 

“I am piloting us on a collision course with the torpedo,” Rip says. “With any luck it will hit us before New York City.”

“Can the Waverider handle the blast?” Stein asks.

“I don’t know,” Rip says. He lifts the glowing stick piece. “Which is why I’m doing this.”

The Legends, all but Mick, disappear.

“What did you do?” Mick demands.

“This is the contingency plan I’ve put in place in case of catastrophe, to prevent us from dying in 1942 and averting the timeline Rex Tyler warned us about.”

“Screw history,” Mick demands. “Where is everybody?”

“The appropriate question is _when_ ,” Rip replies. “I’ve scattered them throughout history for their own safety.”

“I knew you never liked me,” Mick says.

“Injured as you are, you would have difficulty enduring the rigors of time travel.” Rip stands up straight. “More importantly, however, although you have not been pulling your weight with the team, Mr. Rory, you are the only person on the ship qualified to guide the ship through the timeline to rescue the remainder of the team should I not survive.”

Mick flinches. “I don’t fly timeships anymore,” he says, looking away.

“You don’t have a choice,” Rip snaps.

“I never did,” Mick replies.

 

**SCENE: Waverider, modern day**

“Okay, there's just one question that you haven't answered. Where's Captain Hunter?” Oliver says.

“I don't know. Must have time-scattered himself like the rest of them,” Mick replies. He makes a face and drains his beer. “Guess I’ve got to find them.”

He does not appear enthusiastic about it.

“Do you think the ship flies?” Nate asks.

“Don’t see why not,” Mick replies. “Fridge works.” He gestures with his beer.

Kendra puts her hand on his shoulder. “You can do it, Mick,” she says gently. “I believe in you.”

Mick grimaces again. “No one else to do it,” he says, shrugging off her hand and rejecting her attempt at comforting him. 

“I can tell you where Jax is,” Kendra says, not taking offense but looking a little sad. “But I don’t know about the others.”

“I could help research where the others are,” Nate offers eagerly. “I’m a historian.”

“Sure,” Mick grunts. “Why not; the more the merrier. You can all come.”

Oliver shakes his head. “I can’t go,” he says. “I’m the mayor.”

“And I’m guarding the city of St. Roch,” Kendra says reluctantly. “You won’t believe some of the weird stuff I’ve seen there – well, actually, you probably would. But I can’t go either.”

“You and Carter, huh?” Mick asks.

“We’re currently seeing other people,” Kendra says, a touch coolly. “At least until he figures out that with the threat of Savage gone, I’m not interested in playing beautiful goddess, submissive housewife.”

“Wait,” Nate says. “You’re not coming?” He looks at Mick, alarmed; he clearly was counting on them coming along.

“I’m sure you can do it,” Oliver says, patting him on the shoulder. “Good luck.”

Oliver and Kendra depart in their submarine.

“Well, now they’re gone,” Nate says, watching them go. He gulps. 

“Strap in, pretty,” Mick says, sitting in the captain’s chair. “It’s gonna be a bumpy ride.”

“I can’t believe I’m going to travel through time!” Nate exclaims, his apprehension disappearing in his excitement at the prospect, going and strapping himself in. He then looks at Mick and his confidence fades. “You do know how to fly this thing, right?”

“I wish I didn’t,” Mick grumbles, but activates the ship, which begins to rise up through the water rapidly.

“Uh, maybe you should slow down?” Nate asks.

“Maybe you should shut up.” Mick smirks. “Oh, and did I tell you about the side effects?”

“What side effeeeeeeeeeeeeects –”

 

**SCENE: modern day, looking out into the Hudson Bay**

The Waverider breaks the surface and flies out into the sky, making a time jump.

Kendra and Oliver, who are on the dock, turn to look.

“You think they’ll be okay?” Oliver asks.

“I’m sure they will be,” Kendra says. “After all, they are Legends.”

“Well,” Oliver mutters, “ _I’ve_ never heard of them.”

 

**END CREDITS**


	2. Episode Fanart

[see on tumblr here](http://kickingshoes.tumblr.com/post/164986014267/for-the-lotrewrite-we-wanted-to-participate-by)

Kickingshoes' tarot card for Episode 1 - they've created a full set of Major Arcana based on the episodes! See more of their art [here](http://kickingshoes.tumblr.com/tagged/our-art)!


End file.
